Iced Teas

• 2 quarts bottled spring water or filtered water
• 1/4 cup loose black tea leaves or 8 standard tea bags
• sugar
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced
• 8 leafy sprigs mint

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a teakettle. Put tea leaves in a deep, heatproof bowl or large teapot. As soon as the water begins to boil, pour over tea leaves, stir and let stand 4 minutes. It will be very strong. Pour liquid through a fine wire-mesh sieve or coffee filter into a pitcher. Add remaining quart of water and stir. Cool completely and serve over ice with sugar or other sweeteners, lemon and mint passed separately.

VARIATION: Southern Sweet Tea - Stir 1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar into the tea after straining it into serving pitcher. Stir until sugar dissolved. Add remaining water and cool. Sweetened tea is more perishable than unsweetened. Store it well sealed in a glass (not plastic) container in the refrigerator.